Lights as a result of your learning curve.

[rice rocket]

I don't think I'll ever "collect" lights like some of you do, I'd much rather have one or two that would do it all. That's why I'd never really see myself in incandescent lights; multi-modes are pretty important to me: for outdoor use, indoor, and I'm one of the few people who uses strobe mode (for bike riding).

Anyways, I'm new to the game (~6 months). I've bought and sold 3 DX/KD lights and I'm onto P60 hosts + LED drop-ins now. The P60 provides lots of options at a pretty reasonable price (since you're reusing the host, you're paying for the emitter and a couple bucks for someone else's handywork). I honestly don't see it progressing much further for practical lighting. I'm building a keychain mod and 2 aspheric Mag mods for fun on the side, and maybe a $69 Stanley HID for fun later? I don't see myself into purchasing custom lights, as I'm more concerned w/ the light output than the physical qualities of the light.

So current "stable" looks like this:

Solarforce Masterpiece Pro-1 head on L2P body
Solarforce L2M
P60 drop-ins: MC-E (floody bike headlight + general use), red XP-C (bike tail light/strobe)
Thrunite Tikey (to be modded w/ XP-G)
2 x 2D Mags (to receive a SST-90 and XR-E)

 

[shark_za]

10 years ago I got a Surefire 6P.

When LED's came out I popped a 3-LED module into my Minimag and also upgraded my 3D and 4D Maglites.
I got an 80 Lumen Wolf Eyes Dropin for my 6P. Da bomb in those days.
If it never died on me I would probably be living the happy ignorant life.

It died and I researched options. I now have about 50 torches of all types.
I would investigate a cell type and get lights for it, then work on colour or throw.
I had a DX phase and still purchase the chinese crack on occasion.
I have been really lucky in that regard, only got lights with high ratings. RC-G2, RC-F4, RC-N3, C3 SS, Akoray 3-mode.
All Solarforces, I'm a junkie. Dabbled back in incan a bit, oooh , its like sitting by the fire.
Multimodes, Fenix. Yummy. Quarks on the way.


I should have just put a clicky or Z59 and replaced the LED in my 6P.
That and an iTP A2 and I am happy for most uses.

I'm still headlamp challenged, added a Myo RXP to replace my old Tikka Plus.
But Zebralight is my next avenue of exploration. I think I'll get them all.

 

[BeeMan458]

I'm curious as to how many of you (unless you're primarily into collecting lights) have, as a result of your learning curve, found the functional group of lights for your needs and then stopped there?

I'm pretty much a research the idea, pick a product manufacture, buy the possibilities and then do with the product what you intended to do with the product in the first place, what ever that product might be; use it.

I settled on JetBeam after both tweaking the Surefire 6P (LEGO modding) and then discovering this forum. I've purchased one each of most of JetBeam's several product lines. Now? I'm working though the Li-ion learning curve and have entered the buying and giving them as gifts phase; sharing the love.

I won't say that I won't buy any more lights as there's always the possibility of a superlight or two showing up in my closet like a FireSword or a 35W HID. But that's a light story for down the road.

:thumbsup:

 

[was.lost.but.now.found]

I'm nowhere near the top of the pyramid yet. Here's what it looks like for me:

Search fruitlessly around Target and Walmart, constantly returning lights as they fail to deliver on expectations.

Find CPF

Need a durable, bight, around usage led light - L2D

Need a durable led keychain light - E01

Want a super bright "next step up" led - TK40

Want a brighter led keychain light - q Mini 123

Want a cleaner UI general purpose light - Jetbeam RRT-0

Want a smaller led key chain light - ITP EOS A3

Fill the niche of super bright/incan/spotlight/monster - ETEK HID spotlight


Next is anyone's guess, because I can't really build anything. Maybe I'll go down the road of the 6P, but who knows.

 

[Surnia]

I'm curious as to how many of you (unless you're primarily into collecting lights) have, as a result of your learning curve, found the functional group of lights for your needs and then stopped there?

I have stopped on the D10 as my EDC for now, until it gets overshadowed by far higher efficiency LEDs and drivers..

SA2 + P20A2 will likely be my bike lights/house lights, and again will stop there until drivers and LEDs gain considerably advantages in efficiency/brightness.

 

[a1penguin]

Last summer I started biking to work. That was fine until it started getting darker earlier and earlier. The 10 year old Planet Bike 10w light wasn't so good. Especially when I saw other bikers with this very bright, bluish thint, blinking lights that really stood out. I trolled around on bikeforums.net, then mtbr.com and finally here looking for a good alternative. As I'm incredibly cheap, I decided on a dx P7 and Trustfire 801 for the handlebars in addition to two PBSF for the rear. I went the 18650 route because of the brighter lights and longer runtimes. I added another Trustfire for the helmet, then bought a used Jetbeam III to see what a good flashlight is like. Now I have two Quarks, a P1D (I think this is my favorite), a Solarforce and another DX special. I have on order a Lummi raw which is my xmas present to me.

I still like the cheap lights because I can have so many of them! And my life doesn't depend on them either. I find them very handy around the house. They are excellent for finding the baby guppies that get sucked up by the gravity vac into the 10 gallon waste bucket. Also for running outside and looking in the trunk for stuff. I also like going outside and comparing beams in an unscientific manner.

The nicer lights are probably worth the money, but as I don't have a real need for them, I go for the cheap lights and used lights.

 

[Brigadier]

My first real tactical flashlight was a SureFire 6P circa 1994.

Been thru the gammut of LED flashlights. They still have their place, but the lights I am buying now are SureFire incans.

 

[bullfrog]

A low low is more desirable than a high high.

90% of the time, I dont need more than 30 lumens.

I dont think I will EVER really need more than 200 lumens.

I'll take a nice warm tint any day, even at the loss of significant lumens.

You generally get what you pay for.

 

[tolkaze]

After finding LED's had become brighter than 5mm's I went for the brighter is better philosophy of light buying. also, cheap as possible. After my foolish purchase of a LL P7 I started buying online.

Lots of junk later, I finally ordered my first Malkoff's. MD2+M60 and a Mag dropin. Very happy with both, but then quickly fell for cheap lights again. Most of my buying was of CREE XRE R2's in the last year or so.

Finally starting to discover what I want from quality, light output, tint and UI. I am still getting lights like they are friggin pokemon but occasionally there is one that I enjoy.

Currently what I am enjoying are 1x123 lights which can take RCR or primary, and have a very low low, and a half decent high. I realised that the money I spent on NT storm, then 120M I could have (and probably should have) just bought a RA

Latest purchases though, are going back to basics... all AA lights

 

[Chauncey Gardner]

Unlike some of the lucky addicts here I have to keep it to a fairly sane level. I was disasitisfied with the old mini mag I'd had for years & started looking at flashlight reviews on the net (which of course led here).

First real light was one I wanted to do everything much better than the old mag. First light was a Fenix P2D q5 that ruined me. I had no idea what the new led's were like after a bad flea bay experience.

Last month I picked up 3 ti quarks, a great Jetbeam TC-R3, a DeCree (haven't tried it yet) & a ti Bitz.

I think I'm done for a while & my tastes changed to where I know there is not one perfect light, but at least a few that are perfect for me & what my needs & biases are. EDC I like the little pocket rockets with some reach & will forgo the ultra lows of some of the better high end pocket lights. I have gotten much more fussy about tint & beam patterns though & it has caused me to get rid of a couple perfectly good new lights.

Can't believe how far the compact lights have come just in the last couple years.

Also how much I'm will to spring for if something really calls you.

Great place to learn & have enjoyed this place thoroughly.

Thanks to everybody here in the community that makes it that way.

 

[yatsunil]

Over here in Urban Singapore, the street lamp and mall lights are so bright, you hardly ever need a torch! That said, I only got into the torch thing 'cos I was looking for something to use while fishing, cycling or travelling overseas.

1. Started with DX and KD stuff like most newbies. Still very happy with my MCU C7.

2. Went on to Romisen RC-C6 II from ShiningBeam.

3. Got a Solarforce L2m gunmetal 'cos I like the color and flexibility of using 2X16340s or 1X18650 plus any dropin I choose to.

4. Got an ITP A1 'cos it's like small, bright and decently reliable.

5. Expecting delivery of a Zebralight SC30 'cos I like the idea of a flashlight that doubles up as a headlamp. Considered the H31 but changed my mind as I think I'll be using it as a flashlight more.

6. Thinking about something with ramping feature like a Nitecore Ex10 PD or the more affordable ITP SC1.

Should be done after that as I'm not really into spending heaps on a light or collecting them.

So I went from Cheap&Small--->Cheap,Flexible&Small--->Not so Cheap,Flexible&Small--->Not too Expensive,Flexible&Small What can I say---I'm a sucker for small lights!!!!

 

[rikvee]

Great idea for a thread, gcbryan!

My learning curve was a pretty flat line during the 80's and 90's,
when all I used were 2AA MiniMags.
Bulbs blew all the time, batteries leaked through accidental turn on,
in short, 20% of the time I had no light at all, and had to resort to
the ol' Bic cigarette lighter, not very effective in the back of sound
equipment racks with built-in cooling fans.....

By the early naughties I discovered ARC, loved their LS model,
bought 5 of them, still using them now......
Through ARC I became aware of CPF, which led me to appreciate
the quality of light and lights a lot better.
My learning curve included a 4 year period where all my lights were TW4's
(Surefire KL4's on E1E bodies).

From that I learned that light can be too bright, after all, as a soundman
I'm surrounded by other crew and the public all the time, and no-one really
appreciates being blinded by the dork with the super bright flashlight
(which is by the way, why I don't use headlights very often)

This led me to the Fenix L1T V2, and now Quark's AA Tactical (neutral white)
as the light I use everyday (on low, mainly).
I run them on Energizer Advanced Lithium AA's from Lighthound, they last longer
and don't seem to leak.
The light you use is the one you have with you, which means all the other lights
I've been seduced to buy through CPF, are just for playin'.....

 

[Muddquez]

A low low is more desirable than a high high.

90% of the time, I dont need more than 30 lumens.

I dont think I will EVER really need more than 200 lumens.

I'll take a nice warm tint any day, even at the loss of significant lumens.

You generally get what you pay for.

I couldn't have said it better! :thumbsup:

 

[GGHammer]

My learning curve would be more or less like the others, but it is the actual amount of money I've put it scares me...

I just couldn't stop thinking what if I hadn't buy all that lights, I could have retired already!!!

 

[thedeske]

I'm curious as to how many of you (unless you're primarily into collecting lights) have, as a result of your learning curve, found the functional group of lights for your needs and then stopped there?

Me :thumbsup:

Did a little reading - first purchase was a keychain AAA.
OK, I'm impressed so I go after 3 others that fit tool/work/personal function and I'm done. Very happy.

I check in to see what's new and enjoy the forum.
Until something dramatic happens, I'll stick. Small changes do not impress.

 

[bullfrog]

I still think Sgt. LEDs sig line should be made into a sticky for all the new guys:

 

[GunnarGG]

For me this started about 4 month ago. I was going to buy a flashlight to my brother who has no special interest for it but didn't have a single light at home. I thought about 2-d Mag but found a large LED flashlight instead for about the same price. I thought that would give him more light and longer runtime.
About myself before in my life a have had som cheap incans that has worked well but I wanted to buy a better, brighter light for my self to.
This is what I had so far:

20 year old Philips incan divelight, plastic, 4-D. still works, shines good but big.
>5 year old 2 AA Duracell incan, the one I have used most for household, in car etc.
>5 year old crappy 2 D incan.
A 2AA Mini Mag, some cheap multi-LED lights.
On work I use $2 crappy 2AAA incans, they do there job but not very good (you can always find another lightsource there when needed).

Now I start reading at CPF…
This is what I get after that and why (based on what I have read on the net):

Fenix TK20: bright, nice tint, nice to hold. Very small for such a bright light (compared to my about as bright old divelight!)

Quark MiNi123 NW: This is small! And still bright and nice tint. First CR123 light.

Zebralight SC30w: Looks really cool, great UI, low low. Output about the same as MiNi, Runs on RCR123

ITP A3: Even the Quark mini was to bulky for my jeanspocket.

Streamlight Polytac LED: Looks cool, feels nice to hold, gives a very reliable impression to me.

Waiting for:
EagleTac P20C2 Mk II NW, sort of same reason as TK20 but smaller, lighter and not that tight hotspot, I think I will like it.

Preon 2 WW: For use at work instead of those incans there, maybe just to orange and not low enough. I will se how I like it.

What have I learned?:

I don't use my flashlights that much for real work (but I play with them a lot!)
Size matters, the ITP A3 is with me most of the time. The output is enough, the tint is OK.
At home or dogwalks the SC30w is used the most.

The Streamlight is great with good beam and tint but I prefer NW. I have it in my car and there is also the Quark MiNi.
The TK20 doesn't get much use, but has a great feel and runs on AA. I keep it.

About quality all my new lights are overkill, the Duracell AA was enough to take my use, but the quality-feeling of my new lights is great. Well spent money!
Oh, about my brothers flashlight I am not very satisfied, maybe a TK20 or P20A2 NW or Quark AA2 NW if I can get one for him next year.
EDIT: Tried my brothers light this evening. It actually had a cool but nice tint with a good beam and a lot throw. Not bad at all!

What is next? I don't need any more lights, I don't have any gap I need to fill.
I have everything I need when it comes to flashlights!

But the RRT-0 looks nice, or a RA Clicky, or maybe a Surefire (sounds like a classic to me), or maybe a crazy bright thrower (I absolutely don't need one of those!)…

 

[RedForest UK]

1. My flashlight addiction started relatively slowly about 5 or 6 years ago when I bought myself some cheap xenon and 3x 5mm led light from an outdoor shop, I was disapointed to start with and the bulb broke very soon, I've never really trusted incans since and the efficiency compared to led's is still appalling imo..

2. Anyway, as it had hardly been an impressive light I forgot about it altogether for a couple of years. Then I got myself a 4d mag in a sale as it just looked cool and was below half price. I still wasnt impressed and didnt use it all that often, in fact I never got past the set of batteries it was sold with I dont think.

3. About 6-9 months later I was on an outdoor holiday and I got myself a cheap 5mm 'eurohike' single AA led light, it was only £5 down from £15 and the colour was nice were my main reasons for getting it Anyway, when I got it back to where I was staying and tried it out in the bathroom with the lights off I was blown away by the output, how could an led be so bright I thought?!? :thumbsup: This was really the first moment I started to develop my love of lights I think, even though in hindsight it must have been no more than 25lumens or so.. Unfortunately as I still had no idea about batteries and it was direct drive as far as I know as it dimmed I got less and less impressed so my love for it faded again.

4. Then about two years ago I saw a zebralight on the internet on a gadgets website, and it looked great. I've always been into outdoors and camping, especially the feeling you get in the wilds at night, so I guess eventually I was always going to end up a flashaholic sometime. I didnt get the zebralight, but after following some internet trails I saw an L2D on youtube and loved it.. I remember having to write down the name on some scrap paper as I couldnt believe how a light could be called something as complicated as a 'Fenix L2D XR-E Q5' I still had a lot to learn.. A little more research on this light and a quick google brought me to cpf and my eyes were finally opened, quickly followed by my wallet as I decided after much more research and comparisons to get a Fenix TK20 :thumbsup: I recieved it about the christmas before last, and was blown away by it's power runtime, throw and durability :twothumbs I have to say it is still probably my favourite light. The price was a lot to me for a light then however and I genuinely thought that would be it, I didnt consider any need for more flashlights..

5. Then, about a year ago, my house was burgled, they happened to take my first rubbishy xenon light and my Maglite with now dead but unreplaced cells :shrug: Anyway, I got a pretty good insurance payment for both of them, much more than I would consider them to be worth now anyway so, I decided I should really use this money on another high quality light to replace them.. I still wasnt signed up on cpf, but I knew it was by far the best source of info for what to get. So, after hours more of research I got a Nitecore D10 GDP, which was the big thing on cpf at the time. Again I was really pleased with the light, but didnt intent to ever buy another, how wrong could I be?

6. My real flashaholism really started with the 4sevens sale, I had been researching eneloops and the best batteries to to power my lights and so was inevitably led back to cpf, where I learned of the 4sevens Nitcore clearout :naughty: I had wanted an EZAA for a while too but had decided against it, but with christmas coming up I couldnt help myself but order an EZCR2w an EZ123w and another EZCR2 for my dad at the half price discount, along with some RCR123's.. This opened my eyes to li-ion cells and led to further deepening of the 'addiction'.

7. Since then I have registered on cpf and ended up buying various lights recommended on here. I've been pleased with pretty much all of them, however I have to admit that I do have simply too many now.. I'm genuinely trying to stop as I'm simply spending to much money on lights above other things I also recently got that zebralight that I first saw and brought me to this forum, my hope being that with that I could draw the line under my 'addiction' as that was truly the light that first drew me in to this wonderful but expensive hobby. I'm telling myself it's worked and have removed cpf from my bookmarks to make it harder to get on all the time.. Hopefully this should slow me down at least a bit

Well, if you managed to read all that then you must be truly committed to this thread. So well done, what's you story?

 

[nanomu]

My current lineup:

Keychain - Photon Freedom. It's small and it works. Tempted to upgrade to something a little brighter and more useable.

EDC Pocket - SF E2L, single-stage, long clip. I love this light, and it sees a lot of use. Sometimes I think I want to replace this, but haven't found anything I like yet.

Around-the-house - SF 6PL. It's simple, it works, and has a nice floody white beam. Easily the most reliable light I've seen/had so far.

Car/Emergency - SF G2D-FYL. Like the 6P/G2, but with more options. In any emergency, this is the one I'd want to have around.